Health Library

Emptying and Cleaning Your Urinary Catheter Bag

You have an indwelling urinary catheter. This drains urine from your bladder into a bag. The bag can be one that is used at the bedside. Or it can be a smaller bag that is strapped to the leg. Follow the numbered steps below to empty and clean a urinary bag.

1. Drain the bag

Wash your hands well with soap and water to prevent infecting the urinary catheter and bag.

If the short drainage tube is inserted into a pocket on the bag, take the drainage tube out of the pocket.

Hold the drainage tube over a toilet or measuring container. Open the valve.

Don’t touch the tip of the valve or let it touch the toilet or container.

Wash your hands again.

2. Clean the drainage tube

When the bag is empty, clean the tip of the drainage valve with an alcohol wipe.

Close the valve.

Reinsert the drainage tube into the pocket, if there is one.

3. Clean your skin

Wash your hands well before and after cleaning your skin.

If you have a catheter (such as a Foley ) that enters through the urethra, clean the urethral area with soap and water 1 time(s) daily as you were taught by your health care provider. You should also clean after every bowel movement to prevent infection.

Avoid pulling on the tubing when cleaning so you don’t injure the urethra.

Don’t apply antibiotic ointment or any other antibacterial product to the urethra.

Don’t use lubricant on the urethra.

Don’t apply powder to the genital area or to the tubing.

If you have a suprapubic catheter (one that was surgically placed into the bladder through the lower abdomen), your health care provider will tell you how to clean your skin around the catheter.

4. Check and clean the catheter tubing

Check the tubing. If there are kinks, cracks, clogs, or you can’t see into the tubing, you’ll need to change to new tubing as you were shown by your health care provider.

If the current tubing can still be used, wash it with soap and water. Always wash the tubing in the direction away from your body. Avoid pulling on the tubing.

Dry the tubing with a clean washcloth or paper towel.

5. Clean the drainage bag

Clean the drainage bag ­­once every 3 days .

Have a clean backup bag or other drainage device ready.

Follow these steps:

Wash your hands well with soap and water.

Disconnect the bag from the catheter tubing. Connect the tubing to the backup bag or drainage device.

Drain any remaining urine from the bag you just disconnected. Close the drainage valve.

Pour some warm soapy water into the bag. Swish the soap around, being sure to get the corners of the bag.

Open the drainage valve to drain the soap. Close the valve.

Fill the bag with 2 parts vinegar and 3 parts water. Shake the solution a bit and allow it to remain in the bag for 30 minutes.

Drain the vinegar solution and rinse the bag with cold tap water.

Hang the bag to drain and air-dry.

When to seek medical care

Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following:

Little or no urine flowing into the bag

Urine leaking where the catheter enters the body

Pain, burning, or redness of the area where the catheter enters the body